A former confidant of Iain Duncan Smith has dramatically turned on him over Universal Credit,making claims in a radio interview that completely undermine not only press briefings on the botched project — but statements by the cabinet minister to parliament.

Stephen Brien is credited as being the ‘architect’ of Universal Credit. Having developed the policy while working at a think tank founded by IDS, the former Tory leader then brought him into DWP to help him deliver the programme.

Despite having a ‘point man’ on the project, Duncan Smith had claimed that officials had kept him totally in the dark about the project’s failures — publicly blaming his top DWP civil servant in a near-unprecedented breach of protocol.

But in an interview with economist Jonathan Portes (@jdportes) for Radio 4’s Analysis broadcast on November 2, however, Brien throws IDS under the bus, claiming that “things started to go off track … from relatively early on” and that the minister knew precisely what was happening — because he was briefing him personally!

Like this:

Related

Post navigation

Listened to the whole thing brilliant report, only what everyone already knows is so wrong. The only idiot who thinks the opposite is the lying despicable IDS who continues to waste more tax payers money and create hardship, despair, hunger and death on an immense scale and then has the sheer audacity to keep it under wraps. Then declares in parliament all is going to plan what a complete tosser.

I recommend all to try and listen to the report on Radio 4, 2nd Nov @ 9.30 p.m. Inside welfare reforms a real eye opener

The old adages “Skeletons in cupboards” and “Truth will always come out in the end” come to mind. A person capable of insulting those ENTITLED to benefit by wanting to make certain they could only spend their ENTITLEMENT on basic commodities is not fit for the post he holds. When one considers the huge luxuries IDS enjoys in his most privileged setting, it seems fitting for such a person to be made to have a SMART CARD so that we all know what his expenses really are.

Why did he go on about IDS’ achievements, what achievements? So killing people is good? and killing people is going to be an election winner? How on earth is the “jobs market” succeeding? I know next to nothing about politics but things just do not add up!!!

A standard line for those who may be described as the rats leaving the sinking ship. IDS is obviously dead meat now, The feeding frenzy inside the Selfserves has started, and this “revelation” is a carefully calculated insider job. He is looking after his continued role by distancing himself from the IDSh*te personally, while appearing to praise the actual activities and policies already enacted. The reasoning is that it is better to cut your losses (IDS / UC) than lose all (the attack on the poor and Social Security).

However, while it provides useful ammunition for the opposition, it also draws fire away from Cameron & Osborne. The latter has made it clear that he has lost patience with IDSh*te for not cutting more, and wants an additional £25 billion, so it makes sense to use this as an opening attack to weaken IDSH*te. Cameron is also in some sort of debt too, as he failed to sack IDS (and Osborne in opposition for being light-weight), so this is useful to try & get his way, without having to actually face IDS down.

Is this just the start of IDS being the sacrificial lamb – the cons know just how hated they are, they know that they can’t win an election without yet another coalition and they also know that IDS is the most hated “man” in the party, so they’ll get rid of him after the new year to boost their image.
I hope that they come nowhere near the amount of seats that they need in May 2015 and that even trying to get another coaltion is not even remotely possible.
In the meantime, I wish each and every con minister goes to hell for allowing all of this to happen – they are all guilty of a killing spree.

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. This includes scrolling or continued navigation. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.